Dilators are generally used to stretch a channel created by a needle through the skin and subcutaneous tissue in a procedure to gain vascular access. In Internal Jugular insertions, dilators are inserted over a guidewire and, therefore, have a tip that tapers from a small diameter that is slightly greater than the diameter of the guidewire to the widest diameter of the dilator.
Dilators are traditionally made of polyethylene to achieve optimal product performance. The distal tips of the dilators are typically made of the same material as the rest of the dilator and are, therefore, stiff and sharp. Due to manufacturing variations and the need for minimized drag along the guidewire, dilator tips are usually loose around the guidewire, causing the dilator tip to catch tissue or damage vessel walls during dilation. In addition, due to their stiffness, the dilator tips cannot flex enough when there is tight bend over a short distance, causing a kink in the guidewire. Furthermore, dilator tips typically flare when the dilator hits an object like skin, subcutaneous tissue, or a vessel wall, causing sharp edges at the distal tip that can prevent insertion of the dilator or can damage a vessel during insertion.
Accordingly, there is a need for a dilator having a flexible tip such that risk of injury to vessels is reduced.